John d



(No Model.)

J. D. RICHARDSON 8v F. L. MANCHESTER.

DRESS FORM.

Patented Oct. 31, 1882.

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UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN D. RICHARDSON AND FRANCIS L. MANCHESTER, ()F NEWV YORK, N. Y.

DRESS-FORM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 266,892, dated October 3], 1882,

' Application filed May 4,1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN D. RICHARDSON and FRANCIS L. MANCHESTER, both of the city and county of New York, in the State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Dress-Forms, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The object of our invention is to provide a form upon which dresses or dress-skirts may be draped while being made or after washing, and which may be easily contracted so that it may be packed in an ordinary trunk or occupy very little space wherever it may be placed.

To this end our invention consists in a novel combination of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical section of our improved form adjusted or set up for use, and Fig. 2 represents a similar section of the form when closed and contracted for transportation.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts inboth the figures.

A designates a post, here shown as consisting of a metal tube, and A designates a lower extension or extensible section, which may be slid up within the tube A when the form is not required for use, as shown in Fig. 2, and which may be considered as a part of the post. When the form is to be set up and. used the extension A is slid down, as shown in Fig. l, and is prevented from returning or again sliding into the tube A by a catch, a, like the runner snap or catch used in an umbrella.

B designates a flange or foot-piece fitted upon the extension A so that it may be readily slid on or off the same, and pivoted in the said flange or foot-piece at b are feet or legs 0, the inner or upper ends of which are adapted to bear upon the extension A. The flange or foot-piece and feet constitute a base for the post. When the form is set up for use, as shown in Fig. 1, the weight causes the feet or legs to spread at their lower and outer ends, and thereby presses-the inner ends of the feet or legs against the extension A with sufficient force to keep the latter elevated and prevent it from sliding down. When the form is to be contracted or packed the extension A is slid into the tube A, and the flange B is removed and reversed, so that the feet or legs 0 may all be turned upward into a position approximately parallel with the tube A, as shown in Fig. 2. If the extension A were not used, the tube A would be somewhat longer, and the flange or foot-piece B would be fitted to the exterior of the tube instead ofthe extensionA.

1) designates a collar or head fitted upon the upper portion of the tube A, and adapted to slide up and down thereon. The collar or head D is provided with a spring-catch or pin, 0, which is adapted to engage with any one of a series of holes, d, in the tube A, so as to hold the collar or head from sliding upward after it is once moved down more or less to cause the said pin to engage with any one of the holes d.

E designates a circular series of flexible and elastic ribs, fixed at their upper ends to the collar or head D, and extending downward therefrom. The ribs E are nailed or other wise secured to the collar or head D, and are additionally held thereon by a band or ring, 6, surrounding the collar or head D.

F designates stretchers, of which two series are here shown, although one series or more than two series might be used. The outer ends of the stretchers F are hinged at f to the ribs E, and the inner ends of each series are hinged to a collar, g, fixed immovably to the tube A, and which may be considered as part of the post. When the collar or head D is slid down the outer ends of the stretchers F move downward with the ribs E; but the inner ends of said stretchers, being hinged to the immovable collars g, cannot move down, and hence the stretchers will be brought morenearly into horizontal position, and the form will be distended, expanded, or spread for use, as shown in Fig. 1. When the form is not required for use the pin 0 is pulled outward, allowing the collar or head I) to be pushed up by the resilience of the elastic ribs E, and allowing the ribs E and stretchers F to assume a position nearly parallel with the tube A, as

shown in Fig. 2, thus contracting the form so that it will occupy a small space. The ribs E may be connected byone or more tapes, h, or flexible connections, and they will be held thereby in proper relation to each other.

. Our dress-form possesses many advantages, in that it is simple in construction and may be very quickly and conveniently contracted,

IOU

so that it can be packed or contracted into said post, and a catch, 0, for adjustably secur- 10 small compass and readily carried in a trunk. ing said head or collar when depressed, all What we claim as our invention, and desire combined and adapted to operate substantially to secure by Letters Patent, is-- as described, and for the purpose set forth. 5 The dress-form comprising the post A, pro- J. D. RICHARDSON.

Vided with a base or feet Whereon it may be. F. L. MANCHESTER.

supported, one or more series of radial stretch- Witnesses:

ers, F, a series of flexible and elastic ribs, E, FREDK. HAYNES,

the head or collar D, adapted to slide upon I CHANDLER HALL. 

